Utility lines, such as lines for telephones, electricity distribution, natural gas, cable television, fiber optics, Internet, traffic lights, street lights, storm drains, water mains, and wastewater pipes, are often located underground. Utility lines are referred to as “buried assets” herein. Consequently, before excavation occurs in an area, especially an urban area, an excavator is typically required to clear excavation activities with the proper authorities. The clearance procedure usually includes contacting a central authority that in turn notifies the appropriate utility companies. Subsequently, each utility company must perform a buried asset detection procedure, which includes visiting the excavation site, detecting the relevant buried assets and physically marking the position of the buried asset using temporary paint or flags. Upon completion of this procedure by the appropriate utility companies, excavation can occur with the security that buried assets will not be damaged.
One of the problems that arise during buried asset detection is the amount of time spent detecting the buried asset. Usually, a technician visiting a proposed excavation site is not provided with any position data, or only vague position data as a starting point. Consequently, the technician must perform time consuming sensing procedures on a large swath of land to detect the buried asset. This increases the time and resources necessary to detect the buried asset. Another problem with conventional buried asset detection is the method by which buried asset data is conveyed. Typically, a technician marks the positions of buried assets using temporary paint and/or flags at the proposed excavation site. These surface markings, however, were designed to remain only for a short period of time. Consequently, after the surface markings have been erased or removed, buried asset detection must be performed again, if the need arises in the future. This is wasteful and redundant.
Therefore, a need exists for improvements over the prior art, and more particularly for methods and systems that expedite the buried asset detection process for excavation sites, while reducing waste and redundancy.